KINGSPORT, Tenn. – The 2024 baseball season came to a close on Thursday morning as the University of Pikeville fell to Union Commonwealth University 15-3 in the second round of the Appalachian Athletics Conference tournament at Hunter Wright Stadium.
 
The Bears finished the season 30-19, posting the first season of 30 or more wins since the school moved to university status after the 2010-11 academic year.
 
"This team has meant a lot to me," said third-year Coach Cody Andreychuk. "We had players on this team who have changed the culture here. They've been difference makers. I've been very honored to be their coach. These seniors will always have a place here. They will always be Bears."
 
The game got off to a rough start in the top of the first when the league's Freshman of the Year, Mason Kelley, hit a two-run home run to get the Bulldogs on the scoreboard. The Bulldogs added two more in the second and three in the third to make the count 7-0.
 
The Bears got on the scoresheet in the bottom of the third as Cam Revolt led off with a home run in third, but Union added two more in the fourth as three two-out walks and a mis-played popup made it 9-1.
 
UPike got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth inning. It started when pinch-hitter Riley Paulino walked. He scored when Tyler Maynard double, and Maynard came home on a single to center by Austin Gurney to cut the lead to 9-3.
 
But any hope the Bears had of making a comeback was put to rest when Union scored five times in the top of the sixth. The Bulldogs had five hits, the first four of which were singles. When the half inning ended, Union led 14-3.
 
The final Union run of the game came the same way it started, as Kelley blasted a home run to left to lead off the seventh inning.
 
UPike had eight hits on the day. Tyler Maynard and Austin Gurney had two each, with Maynard recording a double, driving in one and scoring one. Gurney had an RBI as well.
 
Along with Revolt's homer, Noah Helton, Francis Subero and Ryan Sartin also had hits.